The Sonata (+38.9%) helps Hyundai reclaim the YTD leadership off Kia.

It’s another disappointing month for new car sales in South Korea with a market off -14.5% year-on-year to 137,432 in June. This includes 112,132 domestic models (-16.3%) and 25,300 foreigners (-5.4%). The year-to-date tally is down -10.7% to 796,025 including 670,373 locals (-11.8%) and 125,652 foreigners (-3.9%). Hyundai (-15.3%) lodges a 4th straight monthly win and finally upsets Kia (-13.4%) in the YTD ranking by almost 2,000 units. Genesis (-12.5%) holds 8.8% of the market this month vs. 8.5% over H1. Mercedes (-16.8%) and BMW (-23.8%) both fall faster than the market and exchange positions vs. last month at #4 and #5 respectively. Tesla stays at #6 with 3.9% share compared with 2.2% so far this year. Lincoln (+161.9%), Honda (+107.2%) and Renault Korea (+18.6%) also impress.

Model-wise, the Kia Carnival shoots up 27.4% year-on-year to land its third ever pole position after October 2020 and November 2022. In fact, contradicting the brands situation, Kia monopolises the podium in June with the Sorento (+4.7%) at #2 and the Sportage (-9.4%) at #3. The Hyundai offensive is led by the Porter (-29.5%) in difficulty at #4 and the Sonata (+38.9%) at #5. The Hyundai Grandeur (-50.5%), #1 a year ago, literally implodes at #6. Outstanding performances by the Hyundai Santa Fe (+49.1%) and Genesis GV70 (+16.5%) in the remainder of the Top 10. 

Among foreign models, the Tesla Model Y (+491%) takes control both for the month with over 3,400 sales and YTD just above 10,000. The Mercedes E Class (+18.4%) repeats at #2 ahead of last month’s leader the Tesla Model 3 (+988.8%). The BMW 5 Series (-40.9%) falls to #4 vs. #2 so far this year and over the Full Year 2023. The Mercedes GLC (+283.5%), Volvo XC60 (+75.1%) and BMW X3 (+101.1%) also make themselves noticed below.

Previous month: South Korea May 2024: Kia Sorento pulls 5th straight win, Hyundai ST1 lands

One year ago: South Korea June 2023: Hyundai Grandeur leads, Kia EV9 launches

Full June 2024 Top 30 All brands, Top 54 All domestic models and Top 50 foreigners below.

South Korea June 2024 – brands:

PosBrandJun-24%/23May2024%/23PosFY231Hyundai47,70034.7%– 15.3%1277,91034.9%– 15.3%112Kia44,28432.2%– 13.4%2276,02134.7%– 5.7%223Genesis12,1048.8%– 12.5%367,7948.5%– 2.1%334Mercedes6,6614.8%– 16.8%530,0113.8%– 15.3%555BMW6,1724.5%– 23.8%435,1304.4%– 7.8%446Tesla5,2933.9%n/a617,3802.2%n/a7117KG Mobility (ex Ssangyong)4,1023.0%– 28.8%723,9783.0%– 38.5%668Renault Korea2,0411.5%+ 18.6%911,2131.4%– 8.6%989GM Korea1,9011.4%– 63.2%813,4571.7%– 29.1%8710Volvo1,4521.1%+ 5.8%107,1850.9%– 15.1%101011Lexus1,0470.8%– 36.7%116,4210.8%– 7.6%111212Audi9020.7%– 33.0%123,6030.5%– 62.6%14913Mini7460.5%– 23.1%134,3530.5%– 1.7%131514Toyota6600.5%– 31.7%144,5350.6%+ 14.0%121615Land Rover4140.3%– 18.3%181,9860.2%– 33.5%171816Volkswagen4000.3%– 25.7%152,8750.4%– 11.3%161417Ford2890.2%+ 8.2%171,9180.2%– 9.1%182018Porsche2670.2%– 75.9%163,5630.4%– 42.8%151319Honda2300.2%+ 107.2%211,2410.2%+ 116.6%212420Jeep2060.1%– 56.6%191,4380.2%– 31.1%191921Lincoln1650.1%+ 161.9%201,3460.2%+ 97.7%202222Chevrolet780.1%– 82.4%236530.1%– 76.0%221723Peugeot760.1%– 65.9%225710.1%– 29.6%232124Cadillac620.0%– 41.5%253370.0%– 30.9%252525Lamborghini400.0%+ 2.6%241950.0%+ 7.1%262926Bentley400.0%– 57.4%271400.0%– 63.6%292627Polestar270.0%– 86.4%283620.0%– 28.2%242328Maserati270.0%– 55.7%261550.0%– 30.5%282829GMC260.0%+ 4.0%291590.0%– 38.1%272730Rolls-Royce200.0%– 53.5%30950.0%– 38.3%3030 –Total local manufacturers112,13281.6%– 16.3% –670,37384.2%– 11.8% – – –Total foreign manufacturers25,30018.4%– 5.4% –125,65215.8%– 3.9% – – –Total market137,432100.0%– 14.5% –796,025100.0%– 10.7% – –

South Korea June 2024 – domestic models:

PosModelJun-24/23May2024/23PosFY231Kia Carnival8,097+ 27.4%244,868+ 14.0%242Kia Sorento7,307+ 4.7%149,588+ 35.6%133Kia Sportage5,815– 9.4%539,299+ 8.9%454Hyundai Porter5,815– 29.5%337,931– 28.9%525Hyundai Sonata5,712+ 38.9%722,224+ 39.2%14176Hyundai Grandeur5,703– 50.5%433,370– 47.0%617Kia Seltos5,399+ 3.3%629,203+ 8.4%7108Hyundai Santa Fe5,000+ 49.1%939,765+ 140.1%389Hyundai Avante4,806– 9.6%827,323– 24.6%8610Genesis GV704,693+ 16.5%1913,705– 14.4%192111Hyundai Tucson4,216– 5.1%1025,062+ 3.4%101212Genesis G803,690– 21.8%1424,351– 10.2%111313Hyundai Staria3,623+ 3.5%1720,208– 2.9%161614Kia Ray3,574– 18.3%1125,284+ 0.7%9915Kia Bongo3,523– 20.6%1222,712– 33.8%13716Hyundai Casper3,352– 14.1%1320,328– 2.6%151117Kia K52,932– 1.0%1818,388+ 5.1%172018Genesis GV802,863+ 11.3%1523,812+ 63.5%122219Hyundai Kona2,593– 18.0%1614,280– 23.3%181920Hyundai Ioniq 51,834+ 41.4%237,128– 25.0%262721Kia K81,519– 66.0%2012,478– 50.4%201522Chevrolet Trax Crossover1,463– 61.9%2110,219– 0.9%222423Kia EV61,430+ 3.7%255,305– 51.5%302624KGM Torres1,424– 51.0%248,492– 67.1%231825Kia Niro1,398– 39.0%228,430– 36.0%242526Kia K31,341– 12.9%277,866+ 23.8%252927Hyundai Palisade1,273– 59.8%2610,477– 54.6%211428Renault Korea Arkana1,150+ 79.7%295,994+ 20.1%293329KGM Rexton Sports1,142– 25.6%286,430– 17.6%282830Kia Morning985– 56.1%307,083– 45.1%272331Renault Korea QM6808– 12.9%324,539– 24.0%313132KGM Tivoli683– 19.2%353,456+ 20.5%343733Genesis G90633– 61.1%314,416– 36.6%323034KGM Torres EVX567new333,892new334535Hyundai Venue494– 48.1%342,321– 35.1%363436Chevrolet Trailblazer331– 61.0%372,402– 43.7%353637Hyundai Nexo294– 3.6%381,463– 50.0%393938Hyundai Ioniq 6292– 40.5%362,128– 68.6%373239Kia Mohave288– 43.5%401,599– 46.8%383840Hyundai ST1175new49199new48 –41Genesis G70171– 63.5%431,195– 43.1%424042Kia K9160– 56.3%391,201– 46.9%414143KGM Rexton148– 56.1%411,072– 35.7%434344KGM Korando123– 8.2%46621– 27.9%444845Kia EV9113– 91.5%421,225– 8.2%403546Chevrolet Traverse62– 47.0%45521– 14.3%455047Genesis GV6054– 87.2%47315– 87.3%474248Renault Korea SM643– 71.9%48489– 60.8%464449Renault Korea Master40n/a44191+ 208.1%495750GMC Sierra30+ 66.7%50157– 35.7%505351KGM Korando EV15new –15new53 –52Chevrolet Tahoe12– 42.9%5157– 58.1%525453Chevrolet Colorado0– 100.0% –71– 91.6%514654Chevrolet Equinox0– 100.0% –12– 96.3%5451

South Korea June 2024 – foreign models:

PosModelJun-24/23May2024/23PosFY231Tesla Model Y3,404+ 491.0%710,041+ 395.4%132Mercedes E Class2,476+ 18.4%28,916– 5.2%313Tesla Model 31,753+ 988.8%17,026+ 1215.7%4n/a4BMW 5 Series1,574– 40.9%310,024– 17.2%225Mercedes GLC836+ 283.5%43,608+ 29.4%586BMW 6 Series637– 8.9%52,020– 35.4%15117Volvo XC60583+ 75.1%82,831+ 21.6%11108BMW X3553+ 101.1%62,866– 3.2%10149Mercedes S Class535– 67.0%132,562– 59.4%13410Mercedes GLE521– 32.4%123,000– 2.1%8711Lexus ES516– 37.5%103,476– 22.2%6612Mini Cooper Hatch486– 35.5%273,188+ 31.2%72013BMW X5481+ 51.3%142,968+ 11.2%91214BMW 3 Series436– 35.8%112,255– 22.0%14915Lexus NX380+ 6.1%91,580– 3.4%212216BMW 7 Series371– 4.4%161,917+ 52.4%182117Mercedes CLE364new231,119new28–18Audi Q4 e-Tron354n/a201,467+ 36575.0%23n/a19BMW X7299– 2.0%171,993+ 26.9%161820Mercedes EQE295– 25.1%291,319– 0.5%262321BMW X4293– 46.2%151,968– 39.4%171322Audi A6289– 56.8%21870– 80.9%35523BMW X6260– 46.3%251,582– 20.2%201924Mercedes A Class235+ 279.0%221,537+ 175.4%22n/a25Mercedes EQS233– 23.1%n/a499– 43.8%513226Volvo XC40228+ 5.1%181,128– 1.9%273627Toyota RAV4217– 22.8%261,382– 3.4%252528BMW iX3205– 37.5%34916– 1.5%332829Mercedes G Class203– 35.6%28922– 14.1%323430Volvo S90197– 31.1%301,094– 36.8%292431Mercedes C Class196– 45.7%242,764+ 6.8%121632Volvo XC90158– 40.6%31846– 35.7%362933Mercedes GLB154– 43.4%32821– 22.0%373134Mercedes EQA152– 11.1%n/a366– 59.3%61n/a35VW Jetta148n/a39806+ 244.4%38n/a36Ford Explorer143n/a37720– 39.2%42n/a37BMW X1142– 19.3%40971+ 139.2%313838Range Rover142– 31.4%36737– 51.9%413039Lexus RX133– 63.0%38895+ 143.9%34n/a40Volvo V60131+ 77.0%n/a443+ 15.7%55n/a41BMW 4 Series129– 21.8%41681+ 21.2%43n/a42BMW i5115new351,003new30n/a43Mercedes EQB109– 62.7%n/a580– 37.3%463744Range Rover Sport109+ 22.5%n/a411+ 166.9%57n/a45Land Rover Defender109#DIV/0!n/a281+ 52.7%64n/a46VW Tiguan108– 62.9%n/a788– 57.3%391747Honda CR-V108+ 12.5%n/a411+ 72.7%56n/a48Mercedes GLS107– 1.8%n/a534– 41.8%483949Tesla Model X106– 87.5%n/a239– 72.1%66n/a50BMW iX1102+ 12.1%48402+ 43.6%59n/a

Source: KAIDA